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Why do youth boycott elections?
I've been trying to write this article for many weeks but I could
only think of reasons why the youth should not vote. I could always
imagine young voters questioning the worthiness of participating in
the elections. Why vote if `Garcis' of this world will count the
ballots? Why encourage my family and friends to be active in
politics if election campaigning is doomed to bring nothing new? Why
support a candidate if he/she will turn out to be a monster in the
future anyway?
These are valid questions. These are legitimate apprehensions. These
may be reasons why many young people refuse to be involved in the
elections. I also have these misgivings about the coming elections.
Ditching a dirty political exercise is justifiable. It is also an
easy decision to make. But I need not surrender to cynicism everyday.
If elections is filthy, let's make it less filthy. If elections is
dominated by the elite, let's make the elite listen to our problems.
If elections is a popularity contest, let's demand a concrete
platform from all candidates.
I am already curious about the election agenda of candidates. I want to know their platform for education, health and environment. What is their program for the youth? What is their social reform agenda? How would they convince our skilled professionals to remain in the country?
If we abandon the elections and allow the trapos to dominate the
campaign, elections will be more meaningless and futile exercise.
But our vigilance and active engagement would probably make a
difference in the reforms we want to achieve by electing competent
leaders and removing imbeciles in government.
Voting is just one of the many ways to be involved in the elections.
We can actually volunteer for political parties and candidates
espousing programs we think the country needs. We can report
electoral violations (use those camera phones). We can campaign for
an honest and peaceful elections through texting, chat, blog and
joining advocacy groups during the counting of votes.
We can cancel out all our activities in order to brave the
long queues and vote in our local precints. If we don't vote,
somebody else will vote in our behalf. Voting is also a
rare chance to get even with bad politicians.
Young voters could potentially dictate who will seat in the Parliament
and the next batch of local leaders. This is possible if the youth
will vote or if they are not registered, influence family and
friends to vote for candidates they want to win.
Analysts doubt the potency of the youth vote. According to them, the
youth will not be a significant force in deciding the outcome of the
coming polls. This is our chance to prove the skeptics wrong. The
youth vote is REAL. We only need candidates who can inspire the
youth with their creative and sensible election agenda.
It is not enough to be a young politician to win over the youth. It
is not enough to be an Opposition candidate to call oneself as an
idealist leader. Sons and daughters of brilliant politicians must
still prove they deserve the support of the youth.
I go back to the earlier question. Why vote ? It's our duty
as responsible citizens. It's our duty to strengthen democracy. To
use the language of `star wars': We are the only hope. The Force is
not with us. We are the Force.
Adapted
Raymond Palatino,